Chinese companies turn tables on foreign IP owners in China

03 October 2011

Peter Ollier and Kanishk Verghese, Hong Kong

In China, foreign patent owners need to learn sophisticated defensive strategies to avoid heavy losses to domestic rivals, said speakers at the Asia-Pacific IP Forum last week

"Since 2008, China has become the powerhouse of patent litigation. Local Chinese firms are starting to use IP rights to their competitive advantage," said Elliot Papageorgiou, partner of Rouse.

Greater awareness of IP rights, growth in local IP litigation and an exponential increase in patent filing by local companies have created a substantial number of local patent plaintiffs in China.

Papageorgiou was speaking at the eighth Asia-Pacific IP Forum, which was organised by Managing IP magazine and took place in Hong Kong on September 30.

Domestic filing of both invention and utility model patents in China has increased dramatically in the past few years, as has China's use of the PCT. This growth is, in part, explained by state subsidies, said Papageorgiou. Local authorities in Hubei and Beijing have been awarding subsidies...

Only subscribers have complete access to Managing Trademarks, log in or subscribe now.

Alternatively take a free trial, giving you 48-hour access to Managing Trademarks (some articles and surveys may be excluded).